Diminishing Environmental Impact in the Construction Industry: The Use of Brick Coarse Aggregates Instead of Natural Coarse Aggregates

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The rapid growth of infrastructure, urbanization, and industrialization has increased global concrete demand, putting pressure on natural resources and creating ecological challenges. In response, using Brick Waste (BW) as a substitute for natural aggregates in concrete offers a promising solution to enhance sustainability in construction materials. This study specifically investigates the replacement of Natural Coarse Aggregates (NCA) with Brick Coarse Aggregates (BCA) at substitution rates of 25%, 45%, 65%, and 85%. The experimental results show that replacing 25% of NCA with BCA leads to a 12% decrease in workability and a 2.48% reduction in density compared to a control concrete mix. In its hardened state, this substitution results in a slight decrease of 6.45% in compressive strength (fc). At higher substitution rates, such as 85%, the decrease is intensified, with a 32% reduction in workability, 7.93% in density, and 50.32% in compressive strength, all compared to the control concrete after 56 days. The present study also emphasizes a significant correlation between the measured compressive strength and that estimated by non-destructive methods, such as the Schmidt Rebound Hammer Test. Optimizing substitute materials is crucial for achieving high performance while ensuring environmental benefits. This research proposes an innovative approach to sustainable construction, providing a unique opportunity to reconcile performance and sustainability in the construction sector. The importance of this work lies in its potential to transform waste management practices and promote more ecological construction materials.